Kitchen unit door replacement costs and expectations
Transforming Your Kitchen with New Doors: A Comprehensive Guide
A fresh, updated look for your kitchen can be achieved by replacing its doors. These visual elements play a significant role in bringing a kitchen to life, determining its style and overall appeal.
When embarking on this project, it's recommended to hire a reliable tradesperson for the best results. The cost to replace kitchen cabinet doors varies significantly, influenced by factors such as quality, size, style, and number of doors being changed.
Materials for replacement kitchen doors include vinyl wrap, engineered wood, solid wood, and glass-panel doors, each with their own pros and cons and budget range. For instance, professionally wrapping kitchen doors with vinyl finishes typically costs between £200 and £700.
Cabinet refacing, which often involves replacing doors and drawer fronts but keeps the cabinet boxes, is an option that saves money and waste compared to full cabinet replacement. This approach costs between £4,000 and £12,000 on average.
On the other hand, complete kitchen cabinet replacement, which includes new doors and cabinet boxes, usually runs £10,000 to £25,000 or more depending on kitchen size, cabinetry style, and materials.
Additional cost factors include material type, kitchen size and number of doors, design complexity, labor costs, location, and more. For example, the average cost of having kitchen doors replaced by a joiner is around £131.10 per door.
When considering replacement, it's important to measure each unit to ensure the new doors fit properly. Premium off-the-shelf doors can cost £100-£200 per door, while more robust or bespoke options like real wood doors can also be expensive.
Handles and hinges are often forgotten when purchasing replacement doors, with costs varying depending on quality and whether they are soft close or not. Off-the-shelf ready-to-fit kitchen doors can be found at reasonable prices from retailers like B&Q, with prices starting under £20 per door.
For those short on funds, guides on creating a dream kitchen on a budget may be helpful. Handles and hinges can also impact the overall cost. A pro will typically take 10-15 minutes to fit a door in a straightforward swap, while a DIYer might take longer if they need to remove old doors and hinges, replace the hinges, handles, and drill new holes.
If you're considering replacing kitchen doors, kitchen design expert Penelope Jacobs recommends it for reasons such as updating the kitchen aesthetic, saving money on a full kitchen refurb, less upheaval than a full renovation, refreshing the kitchen on a budget, getting a home ready to put on the market, and reducing waste from a full refurbishment.
Vinyl-wrapping kitchen doors is a popular refurbishment option, advocated by DIY expert Clive Holland. The average basic cost of vinyl-wrapping 12 doors and 3 door fronts is around £1,600.
Remember, the size of the door can also affect the cost, with larger doors containing more material and being more expensive. If your doors are looking tatty and tired, it's a good idea to replace them. If they are still in good condition but the color has faded or the door is scratched, you should consider painting.
In summary, replacing kitchen unit doors can bring a fresh, updated look to a kitchen, with costs ranging from a few hundred pounds for simple door replacement or wrapping to several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars for full cabinet door refacing or replacement, depending on scope and materials.
- To achieve the best results when replacing kitchen cabinet doors, hiring a reliable tradesperson is recommended.
- Replacing kitchen doors can significantly enhance a home's lifestyle and appeal, especially when considering factors like quality, size, style, and number of doors being changed.
- Material options for replacement kitchen doors include vinyl wrap, engineered wood, solid wood, and glass-panel doors, each with their own implications for cost and design.
- Cabinet refacing, which involves replacing doors and drawer fronts while keeping the cabinet boxes, can save money and waste compared to full cabinet replacement.
- A comprehensive guide for building a dream kitchen on a budget could be beneficial for those short on funds during the replacement process, providing insights on cost-effective choices such as off-the-shelf doors and affordable handles and hinges.
